Post by SoulTrainOz on Jul 19, 2006 7:04:23 GMT -5
Many Offer Help As State Considers
Policy Of Official Compensation
He may be free of prison, but James Tillman now finds himself bound by the concerns of the world outside the walls - including how to provide for himself and his family.
The story of his wrongful conviction and exoneration after 18 years of confinement has already touched many people throughout the state, who have offered to donate money to a fund being set up to cover his expenses.
But many state leaders, including Gov. M. Jodi Rell, say people in
Tillman's situation shouldn't have to hope for the generosity of private donors to get by. They are exploring the implementation of a state program that would provide financial compensation and other services for those who were wrongly convicted and lost years of their lives.
The governor said she expects the state legislature to take up the issue when the next session begins in the fall.
"My heart goes out to Mr. Tillman for what he's been through - the pain he's endured and the lost time with his family," she said in a statement. "We know our system is not perfect, but our first priority must always be equal justice for all."
In 1989, Tillman was sentenced to serve 45 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of carjacking a woman in a downtown parking lot and then beating and raping her.
The victim in the case, who has not been identified, picked Tillman out of a police photo lineup as the man who attacked her. She also identified him during his trial. In addition, prosecutors used blood testing and other scientific technologies available at the time to point to Tillman's guilt.
It wasn't until earlier this year that lawyers for the state Innocence Project were able to use modern DNA testing techniques to show Tillman was not the one who left semen stains on the victim's clothing. The updated tests prompted a judge this week to dismiss all the charges against Tillman, who is now living with his mother and older brother in East Hartford.
"I want to make the most of my time and provide for me and mine," Tillman said Wednesday morning, a day after a judge dismissed all charges against him. "But I'm sitting here wondering where I go from here."
According to the national Innocence Project program, a nonprofit agency based in New York, there are 21 states in the U.S. that have adopted compensation programs for those who have been wrongly convicted.
Most of those programs include funds that have been set aside by the legislatures to help people like Tillman get on their feet. Rebecca Brown, a policy analyst for the Innocence Project, said her organization generally recommends a compensation amount of $50,000 for every year of wrongful imprisonment, and $100,000 for every year of imprisonment for those who were sent to a death row.
In Tillman's case, that would amount to a compensation figure of $900,000. Brown said the states with compensation funds offer amounts ranging from $5,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment to $50,000. She said California offers $100 a day for every day of wrongful imprisonment, while Louisiana offers a maximum compensation of $150,000 no matter how many years an exonerated person was incarcerated.
Other states, including Massachusetts and Montana, offer services to help exonerated people get jobs or education. Tillman, an aspiring minister, said he would welcome financial assistance to help him go to school.
"This isn't about money," he said. "I'm just starting from scratch, trying to figure out my next step."
(source: Hartford Courant)
Policy Of Official Compensation
He may be free of prison, but James Tillman now finds himself bound by the concerns of the world outside the walls - including how to provide for himself and his family.
The story of his wrongful conviction and exoneration after 18 years of confinement has already touched many people throughout the state, who have offered to donate money to a fund being set up to cover his expenses.
But many state leaders, including Gov. M. Jodi Rell, say people in
Tillman's situation shouldn't have to hope for the generosity of private donors to get by. They are exploring the implementation of a state program that would provide financial compensation and other services for those who were wrongly convicted and lost years of their lives.
The governor said she expects the state legislature to take up the issue when the next session begins in the fall.
"My heart goes out to Mr. Tillman for what he's been through - the pain he's endured and the lost time with his family," she said in a statement. "We know our system is not perfect, but our first priority must always be equal justice for all."
In 1989, Tillman was sentenced to serve 45 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of carjacking a woman in a downtown parking lot and then beating and raping her.
The victim in the case, who has not been identified, picked Tillman out of a police photo lineup as the man who attacked her. She also identified him during his trial. In addition, prosecutors used blood testing and other scientific technologies available at the time to point to Tillman's guilt.
It wasn't until earlier this year that lawyers for the state Innocence Project were able to use modern DNA testing techniques to show Tillman was not the one who left semen stains on the victim's clothing. The updated tests prompted a judge this week to dismiss all the charges against Tillman, who is now living with his mother and older brother in East Hartford.
"I want to make the most of my time and provide for me and mine," Tillman said Wednesday morning, a day after a judge dismissed all charges against him. "But I'm sitting here wondering where I go from here."
According to the national Innocence Project program, a nonprofit agency based in New York, there are 21 states in the U.S. that have adopted compensation programs for those who have been wrongly convicted.
Most of those programs include funds that have been set aside by the legislatures to help people like Tillman get on their feet. Rebecca Brown, a policy analyst for the Innocence Project, said her organization generally recommends a compensation amount of $50,000 for every year of wrongful imprisonment, and $100,000 for every year of imprisonment for those who were sent to a death row.
In Tillman's case, that would amount to a compensation figure of $900,000. Brown said the states with compensation funds offer amounts ranging from $5,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment to $50,000. She said California offers $100 a day for every day of wrongful imprisonment, while Louisiana offers a maximum compensation of $150,000 no matter how many years an exonerated person was incarcerated.
Other states, including Massachusetts and Montana, offer services to help exonerated people get jobs or education. Tillman, an aspiring minister, said he would welcome financial assistance to help him go to school.
"This isn't about money," he said. "I'm just starting from scratch, trying to figure out my next step."
(source: Hartford Courant)